Independent MLA threatens to withdraw support to Khattar govt

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An independent legislator in Haryana, who has been booked for cheating, on Sunday gave an ultimatum to the BJP-led post-election alliance government on withdrawing his support. Indirectly hitting out at Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Meham legislator Balraj Kundu said he has extended support to the Chief Minister for his clean credentials and not to "a person who is supporting the corrupt". Police on Friday booked Kundu and his brother Shivraj Kundu for allegedly cheating Rohtak resident Narender Dhankhar.

"If the CM (Chief Minister) is not taking action against his leader Manish Grover, I will be forced to withdraw my support to this government," Kundu told the media in Rohtak town.

"I am giving a month's time to the Chief Minister to act against Grover," he said, adding "I know that the withdrawal of my support will have no impact on the government stability as without me it has the support of 56 legislators, but my fight against the corrupt would continue".

Earlier, Kundu, along with the supporters, reached the police station and dared authorities to arrest him for the case registered against him. The police told him that the case was under investigation.

Kundu on Friday alleged irregularities in sugar mills in the state since the BJP came to power in the state in 2014. He sought a probe against former state cooperatives minister Manish Grover.

He said Grover had caused a huge loss to the state exchequer by showing sugar mills in losses during his tenure as cooperatives minister.

The Meham legislator, a BJP turncoat, had won polls as an independent after being denied a party nomination.

In October last year, the BJP won 40 seats and was six short of a majority in the 90-member Assembly.

Besides the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), seven independent MLAs have also extended support to the BJP, helping it reach a tally of 57 seats.

The Congress won 31 seats, improving its tally from 19 in 2014.

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